Till drawer construction



March 14, 1944.

J. R. SHOWERS, SR

TILL DRAWER CONSTRUCTION l Filed MrCh 20, 1941 eats-Sheet 1 h l l .l i l H l i HY /7 rok/vim March 14, 1944- J. R. SHOWERS, SR 2,343,935

T ILL DRAWER CONSTRUCTION Filed March 20, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 14, 17944 UNITE D STATES PATENT fO-FFI .CE

TILL DRAWER coNs'ritUoTioN Joseph R. Showers, Sr., Shelbyville, Ind.

Application March 20, 1941, Serial No. 384,388

17 Claims.

This invention relates tocashidrawers.

Cash drawers, preferably, are of wood construction because of certain advantages over metal drawers. In either case the drawers must be made to very close `dimensions and must retain such dimensions in use for proper drawer operation.

Wooden cash drawers are, however, subject to variation due to vweather and atmospheric conditions. Metal drawers are less subject thereto. However, in spite of this advantage, the popularity cf the wooden drawerfar exceeds that of the metal drawer.

lt has been determined-that the till forming compartment surface, if the length vof the wood grain runs across the compartment from side to side, rapidly wears away atthe softer portions leaving the surface rough and uneven. If the grain runs from front to rear, this condition is eliminated but the upper portion of the surface becomes rough, etc., which is objectionable.

Accordingly, laminated lstructures with the grain in the bottom portion running from front to back and with the grain running at Aright angles thereto in the upper portions is preferred.

However, wood when exposed to moisture elongates in a direction across the grain for thebres thicken, swell or expand'so that the aforesaid highly desirable laminated structure is objectionable to this extent because, as stated, drawers must be constructed to very exact dimensions and after construction must very closely retain lthe original dimensions regardless of weather or atmospheric conditions.

The problem,'-therefore, 4of producing a completely satisfactory cash drawer of wood type .is one of utilizing the laminated structures and automatically compensating for the unavoidable expansionso that the original dimensions -of the drawer yalways will` be retained.

This constitutes the chief .object -of lthe invention.

This problem issolved by the present invention by utilizing compensating partitions and rigidly connecting the several laminated till compartment forming vportions Atogether by Vpositive means in addition-to glue. f

The foregoing `constitutes the chief featurezof the invention.

Other objects and features `of the invention will be set forth'lmore fully hereinafter.

l The full nature of the :invention will' be understood from the accompanying drawings, the followingdescription and claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1,;is a perspective view of a portion of .till drawer structure embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View o f a modified formof till drawer structure.

Fig, 3 is a `side .elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and o f oneform of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating in dotted lines a second ymodl'lficatolfl of a wood partition element.

Fig. 6 is a similar viewl of a third modification of a woodpartition element.

Fig, 7 is a transverse sectional view of ametallic form of partition-and Aassociated drawer parts.

Fig. 8 is a side-elevational sectional view .of a laminated till structure with a dowel interlock.

Fig. 9 is a similar View of a laminated tills-trncture with a tenon interlock. A

Fig. 10 is asimilar view of a laminated till structure `with ya tongue and groove interlock.

In Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, I0 vindioatras the front of a cash drawer; II a side mem-ber suitably reduced as at II a and I I b and rproyided with a bottom member I2 and a rear morn-ber I3. Screws I4 and I5 suitably connect the inter.- locked adjacent ends of lthe front .and side ,members and the back or rear and side members,

' respectively.

Extending across the drawer from side to side are a plurality of .coin tills designated generally by the letter A. These may be of indii'idual character or Amultiple character, both forms being illustrated, see Figs. 8 and A9, and Fig. 1.0,

is Vva partition structure It. 40

respectively, as representative of` singular' and multiple .coin tills.

Extendingfrom front to `rear of the-'drawer and suitably interlockingly associated therewith Herein, voverlying the partition as -well ast-he rear wall of fa'lcash drawer and suitably seated in the notch Ito in the side member and extending from side member to side member, is the cross member Il. rIfhis in effect is, so Vfar as the broad description is concerned, a conventional cash drawer.

Referring toFigs. -2 and -3', it will begobseryed that II indicates. a. drawer front; AA indicates coin tills; IIS partitions therebetweeni-n :side

l by side relation; III` thel side'of the drawer extendedrearwardly as shown; I I3 the rear lof the drawer; II2 the 'bottom kof Ythe .drawer and II-'I the rear cross member. `'Ifile elongated screws H14 and II,5 secure the side members I II to the drawer front and ldrawer back, respectively.

Suitably secured to the upper edge of the side stood that the coink tills are positioned forwardly in the drawer and the compartments rearwardly);

thereof are adapted to receive paper bills, memoranda and the like. Reference will now be had more particularly to Figs. 8, 9 and 10. In Fig. 8 it will be observed that 2| indicates a base portion of a till structure and 22 indicates upper or ridge portion of the coin till;V 23 the glue joint between the ridge andl base portions; 1 24 an .opening extending through the base p0rtion,-`an'd 25' an opening registering'therewit'h and Y'extending into the ridge portion 22 from the -cemented base por-V tion; 26 a dowel member seated inthe lregistering openings. Itrwill be understood that, each ridge portion 22 is provided with'at Yleast two dowel members andlthese, preferably, are positioned near the ends of the vridge members.Y

' In Fig.9 numerals ofV the 100 series indicate like or similar parts, forexample, |2|v indicates the base'portion; |22 the ridgeportion; |23 the cemented union therebetween; |24 4a longitudinal groove extending across from side to side in thefbase portion; '|25 -a `confronting similar groove in the bottom of the ridge portionand |26V a tenon 'that is seated in both confronting grooves Y Y Referringto Fig. l0,` numerals of the 2 00series indicate like or 'similar'parts",thus: 22| indicates thebase portion;222 the ridge portionj 22-3, the glue Joint; 224 anelongated groove extending across 'the base portion from side to side and adapted to receive and seat a tongue- 226- inf-I tegrall with and projecting from the ridge vportion. 'Y

.Figs. 8, 9 and 10 base portions of the coin tills togethergin addi-l tion to an adhesive connection therebetween vand such additional connections are of positive character.Y Comparing Figs. 8, and 9, with Fig.- 10, it will be noted that the first two are of singularv cointill disclosure, while the latter is of multiplecoin till disclosure.' Itisff course, to

`be understoodY that Vthe locking arrangements showninvFigsg and Scanl be employed infmultiple coin` till constructions'and thatthe locking arrangementprovidedinl Fig. IOcan-be em-V ployed in singular coin-till constructions.y A*'I'hese coin till constructions generally are designated` hereafter and in the claims as of laminated character.

front to rear of the drawer while the directiono'f thegrain in' the ridge portion `of the coln`5till structure extends from-side to side or across the drawer.V lWhen Vwood of this character is sub'L jected to moisture conditions, --the fibres 'thereof swell 1aterally, rather than "linearly,` i Consequently,` it -will ybe apparent-that the ridgepor-4 illustrate three suitable ar rangements for positively Vsecuring ridge and' from is absorbed by the coin tills.

event, the till structures expand as indicated.

tions swell from. front to back and do not swell fromV side to side, reference being had to the position of the same in the drawer structure. The base portion of the laminated till arrangement does not swell from front to back, but does swell from side to side. This is of a considerable amount when moisture conditions are excessive.

Such moisture conditions arise in two ways. One is when the relative humidity of the atmosphere is very high. In that event the wood takes up moisture and expands. The other is when coins are moist due to being handled in snowy or rainy weather and the moisture there- In either As'hasA been set forth initially herein, the laminated till structure has certain advantages that are most desir-able, notwithstanding and despite the fact that the base structures of such laminated till arrangements do have the highly objectionable feature of expanding, when subjected tai-moisture, in the direction across the drawer, thereby tending to swellor push the sides of the drawer away from each other. rIhis results in the drawer binding and quite frequently also results, due to repeated expansion and contraction, in the drawer joints-becoming loose. As initially set forth herein, the drawer should maintain its overall dimensions at allv times throughout its life, thereby preventing such binding and also preventing the separation ofthe drawer components. W H

The screws maintain the sides of the drawer rigid with the front and backibut the intermediate portion` of the sides may be'bowed outwardly by reason of till base expansion or elonga'tion. The partition means indicated at I6 is utilized,v therefore,r in the 'present invention to compensate for this :till compartment expansion or enlargement.

In Fig. 4 the: partition I6 is shown provided e' with an upwardly directed'groove 3U. This groove 30' extends above ythe base jportion of the till. Thus there are provided two adjacent side portio'n'sSIv which can be compressed towards each other in the expansion of thetill base portions.

most desirable.

If desired, this groove 30 may be packed or providedlwith a resilient material 32 which may be' of asbestossheet material, sponge rubber, cork sheet, :material or the like,V whichever is found In Figg-the groove 230 of the` partition 2|6 is shown as not being 'coextensive with the partition, but terminates at 230a as shown. rIhis means that the partition adjacent the paper receiving compartments of the cash drawer is not reduced orgrooved.

In Fig. e a modified form of the invention is illustrated. In this form, lthe partition 3|6, is provided with the groove arrangement `130,but

" the same hereinisfofirregular upper surface outline, as indicatedat 330a. It will be observed that the upper surface of the groove 330 always ispositioned above the base portion of the laminated; till arrangement so that the flexibility; of

the `two adjacent side portionsv forming thegroove inthepartition means is ampleto accommodate coin till base enlargement:V Since' the ridge Portions ofthe coin tills do'not elongate or` enlarge across the drawer, iexibility is not required inv the partition above the base structureunless it is found expedient to incorporate the same.

I The partition shown in'Figs. 4, Eiland 6 are'of wood and the. advantage of thatl shown in Fig.v 5 over that shown in Fig. 4 is thatthe groove 230 terminates at 2301i innFig. 5. The advantage of the partition structure shown in Fig 6 is that should an unusual degree or elongation occur in the coin till base structures and vshould the grain beuniform in the partition and vextend longitudinally thereof, one of the side portions might fracture at the root of the groove. Withthe root of the top of the groove 33nd being formed as shown, it is quite apparent that the tendency to fracture will be minimized because the groove is not provided lwith a continuous upper surface or root but said surface is of interrupted or serrated character and may follow `generally the contour of the surface rof the laminated till structure or may be as shown in Fig. 6.

Reference will now be had to Fig. '7 wherein numerals of the 400 series indicate like or similar parts. In this form of the invention, 42! indicates the base portion of the laminated till construction; 422 indicates the ridge portion of two spaced constructions. M6 indicates a metallic U-shaped partition formed by a single sheet of metall bent upon itself as shown. The groove 4321 therein rand between the side portions 43| may, if desired, be lled completely or partially with a cushioning material such as previously described, and herein the same is indicated by the numeral 432.

The resulting construction, therefore, is a drawer arrangement utilizing laminated wood coin till arrangements of the character indicated and providing partition means therebetween having a liexible arrangement provided at least in the base portion thereof for the accommodation of laminated coin till base enlargement incident to moisture and atmospheric changes.

While the invention hasl been illustrated and described in great detail in the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illus-v trative and not restrictive in character.

The several modications described herein, as well as others which willreadily suggest themselves to persons skille'din this art, are all considered to b e within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

'The invention claimed is:

l. A till drawer structure including two vspaced side walls, a plurality of till compartments therebetween and formed of separate pieces of a material subject to swelling in the direction toward said walls, and till compartment side wall form-ing partition means between the pieces, and contacted thereby, the contacted portion of said partition means being compressible by the .swellable ma-terial to prevent drawer side wall spreading and expansible to its former thickness when said swelling disappears.

L2. 'A till drawer structure including two spaced side walls, a plurality of till compartments therebetween and formed of separate pieces of material subject `to swelling in the direction towards said walls, and till compartment forming means between the pieces and contacted thereby, the contacted portion of said partition means being compressible by the swellable material to prevent ldrawer side wall spreading, and expansible to its former thickness when .said swelling disappears, characterized by the partition .means including an inverted, generally U-shaped sectioned member.

3. A till drawer Vstructure including two spaced side walls, a plurality of Atill compartments therebetween 'andformed of vseparate pieces of material subject to swelling in the direction towards said walls, and till compartment forming means between the pieces and contacted thereby, the contacted portion of said partition means being compressible by the swellable material to prevent drawer side wall spreading, and expansible to its former thickness when said swelling disappears, characterized by the partition means including an inverted, generally U-shaped section member, and compressible means `of solid type between the spaced portions of the U-shaped member. A

4. A till drawer structure including two spaced side walls, a plurality of till compartments therebetween and formed of separate pieces of material subject to swelling in the direction towards said walls, and till compartment forming means between the pieces and contacted thereby, the contacted portion of said partition means being compressibleby the swellable material to prevent drawer side wall spreading, and expansible to its former'thickness when said swelling disappears, characterized by the partition means including an inverted, generally U-shaped sectioned member forming an elongated bottom opening groove, the length of the groove being at least coextensive with the length of the till compartments from front to rear of .the drawer, the root Yof the groove, longitudinally being of serrated character, the greatest depths corresponding with the greatest depth of transverse swellable material in the compartment and all groove depthsfbeing greater than the immediate adjacent depths of the swellable material. 5. A till drawer structure including two spaced side walls, a plurality of till compartments therebetween and formed of separate pieces of material subject to swelling in the direction towards said walls, and till vcompartment forming means between the pieces and contacted thereby, the contacted portion kof said partition means being compressible by the swellable materialto prevent drawer .side wall spreading, `and expansibleV to its former thickness when said swelling disappears, characterized by the till compartment forming means including a base portion, and front and rear wall forming portions rigid therewith, said portions being of wood with the grain of woodin the base portion extending from front to rear'and the grain in the front and rear wall portions extending substantially transverse thereto.

6. A vtill drawer Astructure including two spaced side walls, a plurality of till compartments therebetween and formed of separate pieces of material subject to .swelling in the direction towards said walls. and till compartment forming means between the pieces and contacted thereby, the contacted portion of said partitionmeans being compressible by the swellable material to prevent drawer side wall spreading, and expansible to its former thickness when said swelling disappears, characterized by the till compartment forming means including a base portion, and front and rear wall forming portions rigid therewith, said portions bei-ng of wood with the grain of wood .in .the base portion extending from front to rear and the grain in the front and rear wall portions vextending substantially transverse thereto, the partition means including an inverted U-shaped sectioned member, the depth of division therein being at least equal to the greatest depth of the base portion.

7, yA till drawer structure including two spaced sidewalls, a plurality'of till compartments therebetween and formed of separate pieces of material subject to swelling in the direction towards said wallsy'and till compartmentforming means between the pieces and contacted thereby, Vthe contacted portion of said' partition means being compressible by the swellable material to prevent drawer side wall spreading, and expansible to its former thickness when said swelling disappears, characterized by the till compartment forming means including a base portion, Aand front and rear wall forming portions rigid ytherewith, said portions being of wood with 'the grain of wood in the baseportion extending from front to rear and the grain in the `front andl rear wallv portions extending substantially transverse thereto, and compressiblelmeans between the spaced portions of the VU-shaped member.

8. Atill drawer structure including two spaced side walls, a plurality of till compartments therebetween and formed ofseparate pieces of mateto rear andthe grain in the front and rear wall portions extending substantially transverse thereto, and means seated in one portion and extending into the adjacent'portion for preventing separation therebetween, said means being Y of tenon type.

' front and rear wall forming portions rigid thererial subject to swelling in the direction towards said walls,Y and till compartment forming means between the pieces and contacted therebyjthe, contacted portion4 of-said partitionmeans being compressible by the swellable material to prevent drawer side wall spreading, and expansrible to its former thickness when saidswelling disappears,` characterized b'y ythe tillcompartment forming means including a base portion, and front and rear wall forming portions rigid therewith; said portions being of wood'with the grain of wood in the base portion extending from front to rear and the grain in the front and rear wall portions extending substantially transverse thereto, and means seated in'one portion and extending into the adjacent portion Vfor preventing separation therebetween.

9. A till drawer structure including two space v`'side walls, a plurality of till compartments theree between and formed vof separate pieces of material'subjectv toy swelling in the direction towardsv Ysaid walls, and till compartment forming means between the pieces land contacted thereby, the contacted portion of said partition means being compressible by the swellable material to prevent drawer sidewall spreading, and expansible toV its former thickness when said swelling disappears, characterized by the -till compartment forming means including a 'base portion, and front and rear wall'forming portions rigid therewith, said portions being` of wood with the grain of wood in the base portion extending from front to rear and the grain in the front and rear wall portions extending substantially transverse theretdand means seated in one portion and extending into the adjacent portion for preventingUseparatio-n therebetween, said means being of dowel type.` l I 1 10. .A tillv drawer structure including two spaced side walls, a plurality of till compartments therebetween and formed of separate pieces of material subjectl to swelling inthe direction towards said walls, and till 'compartment forming means between thepieces and contacted thereby, theV contacted portion of said partition means being v compressible by the swellable material to prevent drawer side wall spreading, and expansible to its former thickness when said swelling-disappears, characterized by theV` till compartment forming meanslincluding 'a base portion, and front and rear wall :forming portions rigid therewith, said portions being of wood with the grain of wood in the base :portion 'extending from front with, said portions being of wood with the grain of wood in the 'base portion extending from front to rear and the grain in the 'front and rear wall portions extending substantially transverse'thereto, and means seated in one portion and extending intothe adjacent portion for preventing Yseparation therebetween, said means being of tongue type. Y

12. A till drawer structure including two spaced side walls, a pluralityot` till compartments thereits former thickness when said swelling disappears, characterized by the till compartment,

4,. forming means including` va base portion, and

front and rear wall forming portions rigid therewith, said portions being of wood with the grain of wood in the base portion extendingzfrom front to rear and the grain in the front and rear wall portions extending substantially transverse thereto, and means seated in the base portion and extending into the front and rear wall portions for preventing separation therebetween, the partition means including an inverted U-shaped sectioned member, the depth of division therein being atV least equal to the greatest depth of the base portion. i

^ 13. A'till drawer structure including two spaced side Y walls, a plurality of till compartments therebetween and formed of separate pieces of a material subject to swelling in the direction toward said walls, and till compartments side wall forming partition meansibetwe'en the pieces, and contacted thereby, the contacted portion of said partition means being compressible by the swellable material Vto prevent drawer side wall4 spreading and expansible to its former thickness whensaidswelling disappears, the till compartment forming means including a base portion, and front and' rear wall forming portions rigid therewith, said portions being of wood with the grain of wood in the base portion extending from front to rear and the grain in the front and rear'wall portions extending substantially` transverse thereto, and means seated in the base portion and extending into the front and rear wall portions for preventing separation therebetween, the'partitionv means including an invertedHU-'shaped sectioned member, the depth of 'division' therein being at least equal to the greatest depth of the base portion, and compressible means between the spaced portions of the U-shaped member.

14. In a compartmented till drawer structure comprising two spaced side walls, a front wall, a back wall, a bottom and partition means, the means and walls having 'their grain direction running longitudinally or lengthwise of each, the combination of unitary till compartment forming means arranged in side by side relation with said 10 partition means therebetween, each unitary till compartment forming means comprising a base portion superposed upon the bottom, said portion being of wood with the grain direction of said portion extending from front to back, and'l5 front and rear wall forming portions, said last mentioned portions each being of wood, the direction of the grain therein extending substantially transverse to the grain direction of the base portion, and means secured to one of said 2 first and second mentioned portions and extending into the other of said portions, the base portion being exposed between the front and rear wall portions, the adjacent surfaces of said front and rear wall portions being inclined inwardly and downwardly, the exposed portion of the base portion being recessed and merging with said adjacent surfaces at opposite ends to form a smooth concave outlined cross-section ti11 compartment with a coin engageable surface having the grain direction of certain portions JOSEPH R. SHOWERS, SR. 

